Ken Casellas | Photo: Hamilton Content Creators
Up-and-coming pacer Faster Than Dad will be set for the $50,000 Four and Five-Year-Old championship on May 5, following his impressive victory in the 2130m Bridge Bar Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“He is not a star, but he will definitely hold his own in those races,” said Coolup trainer Michael George after Stuart McDonald had driven the WA-bred five-year-old to an easy win in fast time, rating 1.55.5.
Faster Than Dad, the $2 favourite at his third appearance after a spell, was beaten out at the start by $15 chance Joey James, who led by a half-length before McDonald drove Faster Than Dad through to take up the running after 50 metres.
The lead time was a fast 35.8sec. and Faster Than Dad relished his frontrunning role, reeling off quarters of 29.7sec., 29.6sec., 28.7sec. and 29.1sec. He coasted to victory, beating $41 chance Illawong Mustang by two lengths.
Illawong Mustang was unlucky. He started from the inside of the back line and met with severe interference at the start when the polemarker Follow The Dragon galloped badly when he was severely hampered by a gear malfunction. The hopple shortening strap snapped in the score-up, resulting in the hopple shortening pin malfunctioning.
“This was one of those races in which I wasn’t sure what was going to happen,” said George. “Faster Than dad still had to work to get to the front.
“I have a big opinion of him. He is a full-brother to While They Pray, who has been my best horse. But he has the speed to go a bit further than While They Pray.”
While They Pray has earned $170,788 from 16 wins and 12 placings from 39 starts, while Faster Than Dad has raced 33 times for ten wins and six placings for stakes of $71,664.
Faster Than Dad is by former brilliant pacer Alta Christiano and is out of the Bettors Delight mare Slick Bird, who finished third behind Artemis Belle in the 2011 WA Oaks before being retired with earnings of $89,999 from her ten wins and nine placings from 34 starts.
Faster Than Dad’s half-sister Slick Artist was a smart performer, earning $326,175 from 25 wins and 44 placings from 119 starts. Slick Artist won the Group 2 Daintys Daughter Classic at Gloucester Park in February 2018 before winning several races in America.